Want to retire? Habibi, come to Dubai

Two retirees reveal what it’s really like to live on in the UAE city and meet the challenges of owning a home, affording health insurance and building a circle of friends

John Ashcroft and his wife Judi moved to the Emirates in 1998 and have chosen to retire in Dubai: Photo: John Ashcroft

Whether you’ve spent the majority of your life in the UAE, built a career here, started a business or are eyeing up the country as a place to put down roots in your 50s, 60s or 70s, there are a few things to bear in mind before retiring to and in the Emirates.

Visas, property ownership, private pensions, income, savings and health insurance are the administrative aspects to consider, as well as looking into the social and lifestyle side of retired life in the UAE.

Countries such as Spain, Portugal, New Zealand, Australia, France and more have long been popular destinations for those looking to retire outside of their home countries, thanks in part to the existing infrastructure and, high up on the list for many retirees, the weather.

“Dubai has only really come on to people’s radars officially over the past 20 years as a holiday destination and those people are not yet of retirement age,” says Barnaby Crompton, director of Crompton Saltini Real Estate. “Places like Greece, Portugal and Spain are popular for retirees because people have been going there on holiday for decades and have come to know the countries.”

He adds: “The UAE is still in its infancy. However, we will see more people who live here for extended periods of time think about retiring here too, as they come of age.”

The introduction in 2020 of the five-year retirement visa for those over the age of 55 who meet certain financial or property requirements, is a step towards making the country an attractive prospect for those in the autumn or winter of their lives.

We chat to two expats about why they decided to stay in the UAE, and what to know about retiring here.

'You do need to be relatively wealthy'

The Ashcrofts were among the first to move to Jumeirah Islands, buying off-plan in 2003. Photo: John Ashcroft

John Ashcroft, 78, a father-of-two lives in Dubai with his wife, Judi, having moved to the emirate in 1998. Their son also lives in Dubai with his young family, moving across from the UK in 2004, while their daughter remains in the UK.

Based in Jumeirah Islands in a home they bought 17 years ago, Ashcroft, a former army officer in the Royal Engineers and Parachute Regiment, came to the UAE “wanting a complete change in life and career”. Ashcroft became a managing director at Al Futtaim Engineering, before setting up two engineering companies with friends, acting as chief executive, before retiring at 65.

Having your own house makes you feel more at home rather than a visitor

John Ashcroft,
Dubai resident

“I think initially when you get here, you never really know how things will go,” he says. “Foreigners couldn’t buy property when we first arrived. But when those rules were relaxed, we bought in Jumeirah Islands in 2003 and moved in by 2006. Having your own house makes you feel more at home rather than a visitor.

“As we got established, we made more friends, got to know the neighbourhood and joined the sailing and golf clubs. The weather is fantastic, there’s the tax-free aspect and the fact you can travel so easily from here. All the good things in life start here.”

A member of the sailing club and golf club, Ashcroft cites the weather and quality of life as reasons for choosing to retire in the UAE. Photo: John Ashcroft

When deciding where to retire, Ashcroft says his and his wife’s mentality was “here or the UK”, and although they bought a house in Surrey for that possible eventuality, “12 years on, we still haven’t spent a night there”, he says.

“The first thing people who are thinking of retiring here need to know is that you do need to be relatively wealthy because it’s an expensive place to live,” he says. “You can rent a small apartment and live fairly cheaply, but in order to make yourself feel at home you need to own a property and have an income stream to enjoy life.”

With golf and sailing high on the couple’s list of sports and social activities, Ashcroft notes that having the money to indulge in hobbies and travel makes a huge difference in the quality of life post-retirement. “We spend a lot on health insurance, but we think it’s money well spent as we are able to rely on that,” he says. “We have absolutely everything we could imagine, lovely friends, a fantastic home and good weather. The UAE is our top spot.”

'If you don’t own a home here, you won’t stay'

The outdoors life has allowed Phil Ellerby to embrace his passions for hiking, sailing, swimming and kayaking. Photo: Phil Ellerby

This year marks Phil Ellerby’s 45th year in the UAE, having arrived from the UK in 1980 to work for an engineering firm in Sharjah.

“I can remember the morning I arrived in Sharjah,” says Ellerby, 72. “I was put in the Novotel on Al Khan Beach. I opened my window and there was the beach and the blue sea. Someone had left a windsurfing sail outside, flapping in the breeze, and I thought I had landed in paradise.”

Meeting and marrying his British wife, Annie, when she travelled through the region with friends, the pair have two children: a son who lives in Australia and a daughter in the UK.

“We lived in Sharjah for the first 12 years, moving to Dubai when my daughter was in the final year of primary school as Sharjah English School didn’t have a secondary option back then,” says Ellerby. “We lived in rented accommodation in a Shaikha Mariam villa in Jumeirah 1 for about 15 years.”

Holding general manager, managing director and chief executive positions throughout his career, Ellerby started his own company providing metal roofing systems across the UAE and Gulf region as construction projects boomed, before selling it in 2012 and moving with his wife to a villa on the Palm Jumeirah.

Whatever you’re interested in, there’ll be some kind of mechanism in the UAE that allows you to do it here

Phil Ellerby,
Dubai resident

“I hadn’t been thinking about anything other than running the business. So by the time the realisation came that I had 15 years left before retirement, I knew I needed sufficient funds to stay here,” he says. “I have seen people go back home because they had no property. If you don’t own a home here, you won’t stay because of the vagaries of the rental market. The UAE is an expensive place to live, so having your own place mitigates the expense.”

He adds: “Fundamentals such as water and electricity can also cost a lot. And to a lesser extent, monthly charges on mobile phone can be much higher than in the UK.”

Phil and his wife Annie spend time with their son and grandchildren in the sea by their Palm Jumeirah villa. Photo: Phil Ellerby

Another expense Ellerby says that needs to be a major factor if retiring to the UAE is health insurance. “We currently pay Dh44,000 a year for the two of us, which is one of the largest expenses we have,” he says. “Up until a couple of years ago, it was half that amount. As you get older and move up through the age brackets, the premiums increase.”

An outdoors lifestyle plays a major part in Ellerby and his wife’s decision to retire in the UAE. “I’ve spent my life here, only going back to the UK for two-week visits to take the children back in the summer,” he says. “The only thing I knew was that we didn’t want to return to live there. The weather drove me away. I’m a very outdoorsy person and enjoy all manner of sports and water sports.

“Here, we swim almost every day. We kayak from our villa across to the 101 restaurant and have lunch. It’s a particularly special treat to arrive that way. I also have my own boat as my big passion in life is sailing.

“In the UAE, you can do anything you want to do. Whatever you’re interested in, there’ll be some kind of mechanism that allows you to be able to do it here.”